Our Forgotten Epidemic is a six-part series about parts of Aotearoa New Zealand's response to HIV and AIDS, and some of the many brave individuals who changed the course of history.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared Monkeypox (MPX) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. MPX cases internationally have intensified into a crisis, particularly in Europe, with numbers rapidly increasing and overwhelming health systems.

Burnett Foundation Aotearoa, The New Zealand Sexual Health Society Inc. and more are calling for urgent Government action to prevent MPX endemicity in Aotearoa New Zealand. We still have a window of opportunity to act now and avoid the serious public health consequences of a large-scale MPX outbreak.

You probably thought it was something only pirates and Henry VIII had to deal with. Which was true, but in the last few years, Aotearoa has seen a dramatic rise in the number of syphilis cases. So, now it’s something you have to deal with too.